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Havre de Grace commission approves 2024 annual report; members press for up-to-date APFO data
Summary
The planning commission approved the required 2024 annual report 5-0, while commissioners discussed how the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) is applied to schools, traffic and utilities and asked staff to verify one certificate-of-occupancy number before the chair signs the cover letter to the state.
The Havre de Grace Planning Commission voted 5-0 on June 26, 2025 to approve the commission's 2024 annual report and authorized Chair Volney Ford to sign the report, provided staff verifies one item in the report.
Staff prepares the annual report using the state's prescribed format and the report must be sent to the State of Maryland. Director of Planning Jeff Tuvolni told commissioners the planning department compiles technical, project-level answers and that the report is delivered with a cover letter signed by the commission chair.
Commissioners used the annual-report discussion to probe how the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) handles schools, traffic and utility capacity. Janice Chan asked whether school- and traffic-related data can be updated when a new development is proposed so the commission does not rely on an out-of-date snapshot. Tuvolni said the Harford County Public School System provides enrollment updates twice a year, in July and January, and that the school district reviews subdivision plans and produces a student-yield analysis for each project.
"Harford County Public School System, they provide us update twice a year, July, and January," Tuvolni said. He added that the school system applies a formula to project student yield from a development and that staff uses the most current school report available when preparing project analyses.
Commissioners also discussed traffic-safety and capacity issues, which typically involve county or state jurisdiction (and occasionally city responsibility). The city attorney noted constitutional and proportionality considerations for assigning improvement costs to developers and explained that multiple jurisdictions may be involved in road improvements, complicating allocation of responsibility.
Commissioners asked staff to double-check one figure in the report (the number of certificates of occupancy listed for the year). Tuvolni said he would verify the number and re-circulate a corrected report if needed. With that caveat, the commission approved the report in a roll-call vote with all five members voting yes: Ed Garono, Chip Place, Janice Chan, Mary Miller and Chair Volney Ford.
The planning director will deliver the signed cover letter and report to the State of Maryland after confirming the figure.
